Trending With Moms

Your body is still a baby-making machine during the third trimester of your pregnancy — and it’s fast becoming a baby-delivering one too. Gearing up for the big day, it's going through many changes in anticipation of labor — some you're aware of (such as your baby dropping into your pelvis around week 38 of pregnancy, which makes for more pelvic pressure) and others that you probably are not aware of (such as cervical dilation and effacement). And there’s yet another more obvious symptom you may not have expected: Your breasts may start leaking a thin, yellowish fluid called colostrum, the precursor to the breast milk that will very soon feed your bundle of joy.

What causes it

Your pregnant body is making sure all systems are a go, including your milk production system. Colostrum, the first milk your baby will get, contains more protein but less fat and sugar than mature breast milk, making it easier for baby to digest in the first few days after birth. It’s also full of antibodies (immunoglobin A, or IgA) your baby didn’t encounter in the womb which help protect her from germs that can infect the mucus membranes of her throat, lungs and intestines. Several days after you deliver, your breast milk will “come in,” or become whiter and increase in amount.

What you need to know

If you're not leaking colostrum but are curious what it looks like, gently squeeze your areola to express a few drops. If none comes out don't worry, it will when the time is right (when baby's doing the milking). And don’t worry, it isn’t a sign that your supply won’t keep up with demand.

What you can do about it

Usually only a few drops of leak at once — but if the flow is more than you're comfortable with, wear nursing pads inside your bra. But best to get used to it: This is just a foreshadowing of increasingly leaky breasts (and wet bras, nightgowns and shirts) to come.

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